MLB Finalizes Plans For Expanded Postseason, Just Hours Before 2020 Season Begins
BOSTON (CBS) -- Rather than figure out all of the particulars of playing baseball during a pandemic -- like, say, the rules, or travel guidelines, or scheduling plans, or whether the Canadian team would be allowed to host games, etc. -- Major League Baseball spent the past several months bickering the the players' union over semantics and public relations. As a result, some items remain unresolved.
One of those items was an expanded postseason field in 2020. The owners offered this idea to players in an effort to make up for some of the lost revenue of the season, but the players ended up rejecting the owners' offer in order to maintain their ability to file a grievance.
Despite that minor hiccup, the league made a last-minute push to increase the number of playoff teams from 10 to 16. And we do mean last minute.
Jon Heyman reported Wednesday night that the league and the union were "re-engaging on the possibility" of an expanded postseason. Heyman was careful to note that any such agreement would have to be reached before the season begins. And with first pitch scheduled in the nation's capital shortly after 7 p.m. ET on Thursday night, there's not a whole lot of time to get that done.
Sources: MLB and union are re-engaging on the possibility of expanded playoffs for this season. Has to be done before first pitch 25 hours from now, but there seems to be optimism. Hope was to go from 10 playoff teams to 16.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 22, 2020
Sure enough, with just hours to spare, Marly Rivera of ESPN reported that players agreed to the proposal.
The union has approved the agreement discussed with MLB for expanded playoffs, only for the 2020 postseason; that agreement is now subject only to ratification by the owners, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/HFmaEQ8Npk
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) July 23, 2020
The current playoff format involves three division winners and two wild cards in each league. The expanded postseason format would involve three division winners, plus three second-place finishers, plus two wild-card teams per league, bringing the total to eight American League and eight National League teams in the postseason fold.
For teams not expected to contend for a title, such an expansion would at least welcome playoff baseball to cities where it otherwise wouldn't exist. MLB would also capitalize with some increased revenue from its national television deal if it had more postseason games to air. The league did, however, express concern with extending the season into November, for fear of a "second wave" of the coronavirus pandemic preventing a World Series champion from being crowned. With the regular season ending on Sept. 27, the expanded postseason would by necessity push the World Series into November.
Nevertheless, it seems like a mutually beneficial plan -- particularly given the financial picture painted by The Athletics' Evan Drellich.
MLBPA and MLB have agreed on a $50 million postseason bonus pool for players with 16 teams for this year. In negotiations last month, MLB offered $25 million. Players have voted, now up to owners to ratify.
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) July 23, 2020
The MLB season begins on Thursday night, and provided the league can navigate a season during the coronavirus pandemic, the postseason will certainly be unique.